England have been dealt a major blow by Katherine Brunt’s departure at the women’s World T20 and Australia will be favourites in West Indies

The last time England played Sri Lanka in a major tournament opener, at the 2013 World Cup, they lost in embarrassing fashion to the tournament’s bottom-ranked team. Five years on, as they gear up for their opening game against the same opposition in St Lucia on Saturday, this time in a World T20, they will be hoping to avoid a similar fate.

This time around, the personnel look rather different. Of England’s 15-strong squad, eight did not play in the last World T20 in 2016, and the batter Sophia Dunkley and left-arm spinners Kirstie Gordon and Linsey Smith have never worn an England shirt.